Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
More On:
Lovecraft Country
-
Stream It Or Skip It: 'Them: The Scare' On Prime Video, A Second Season Of The Scary Anthology Series
-
Jonathan Majors Hit With More Allegations Of Abuse While Awaiting Sentencing For Domestic Violence Trial: Report
-
Stream It Or Skip It: 'Three Little Birds' On BritBox, About Three Jamaican Women's Ups And Downs In 1950s England
-
Stream It Or Skip It: 'The Changeling' On Apple TV+, Where A Man Searches For His Wife And Child Through A New York That's Both Familiar And Strange
An extra on HBO‘s hit drama Lovecraft Country claims that her skin was darkened by the show’s makeup team, the Hollywood Reporter reports. Kelli Amirah, who briefly appeared as a younger version of a character in a wedding photo that appeared in the series, alleged on TikTok that she was given darker foundation to appear more like the character she was portraying.
In a video posted on her TikTok account last month, Amirah says that she had her makeup done on set that day near series stars like Jurnee Smollett and Courtney B. Vance. While the Lovecraft Country makeup artists worked on her, one of them observed she was “a little lighter” than the actor she was portraying, while the other said her features were “a dead match.”
Although Amirah didn’t pay much attention at first, she saw a change as the makeup team continued their work. “I noticed my foundation is getting darker and darker,” she said in the video. “I was so uncomfortable,” she added, showing photos of herself in full costume with her darker makeup. “I had no idea they were going to do this to me beforehand. And if I knew beforehand, I would not have accepted this job. Who thought this was a good idea.”
Amirah said the makeup artists painted her hands, too. “As soon as we wrapped I went right back to hair and makeup to ask for some makeup wipes because I refused to go out in the world like that,” she shared.
As Amirah’s video began to circulate online, HBO released their own statement in response to her claims. The network said it was “very disappointed” to hear of her experience on set. “This should not have happened, and we are taking steps to ensure this doesn’t occur again in the future,” they shared with the Hollywood Reporter.
After sharing her story on TikTok, Amirah responded to criticism of her “complacency” to allow the series to darken her skin. In a Twitter thread posted this weekend, she explained that she applied for the extra role on Lovecraft Country and never had an audition beforehand, “just an online submission and booking.”
“There was no mention of me being too light when I was caster nor when I went in for my fitting days before. And it wasn’t until I was in the chair that I overheard the [makeup artists] discussing it,” she continued. “Even then, I thought ‘maybe they just meant a couple shades’ I’m sure it won’t be much more than a tan. And then they just kept painting me darker.”
As her makeup was applied, Amirah recalled having “so many conflicting thoughts in my head.” “This is wrong. Why did they hire me. I should say something. What would I say? What would happen? If I hold up this production how much money goes down the drain. What will be my repercussions?,” she wrote.
While Amirah said she didn’t speak up because she was “navigating a whole other side” of the extra experience, and she “choked” in the moment. “I didn’t say shit. I got very quiet and withdrawn and went through with the job like a coward. I was selfish and more concerned with the repercussions of my own career instead of doing what’s right and not participating in something that I KNEW was wrong.”
